Prisoner To the King
by Feminst.Queen
Summary: {takes place after Glass Sword} Don't read if any of the following is your trigger: rape like situations, torture, abuse, violence, and starvation. Mare has surrendered to Maven and is immediately taken as prisoner. A small piece of her thinks that there's still hope left for Maven, her once betrothed. However, that is not the case. He is obsessive, cruel, and cold. Will Mare live?
1. Pet

A/N: I do not own any of the Red Queen series. Please read the description, do not read if you are triggered by any of those subjects. What I want to portray is that Mare does not love him, she loves the old Maven, her betrothed. **The real Maven is ruthless and is obsessed with her, which is not necessarily love. If you want a quick loving couple, a sweet Maven, or a submissive and loving it Mare, this story is not for you. Please review!~**

{Mare}  
The last thing I felt was pain. Now, all I feel is nothing, a harsh weight of numb. Instead of feeling content and comforted, I feel uneasy and uncomfortable. It's like someone is suffocating me, yet I am alone.  
I am conscious and confused, yet unable to move. With nothing left to do I let the past few events resurface, allowing me to take note of my situation.

* * *

 _I limped my way across the Bridge of Archeon, my wrists and ankles throbbing from cuts and bruises. An Arven flanked me on both sides, their grip deadly and their silence even deadlier. We slowly made it to the King, to Maven. Dread hung over me, making me feel suffocated._

 _Gleefully, although it was well masked under a look of fake grief, Maven attached a jeweled collar to my neck. My face burned with embarrassment and his touch, and he tugged on the leash attached to it to show his control. My head bent with it and I gagged from the harsh force, making him smirk._

 _Like this, I look like a dog, a slave to the king. Through the pain I wonder how badly this will hurt the guard, to see their lightning girl on a leash, beaten and bruised, at the hands of a cold King._

 _"Come." He commanded._

 _Humiliated, I obeyed and together we walked to the microphone. I felt his burning smirk before I saw it, causing anger to flare up inside me. Oh how badly I wanted to watch his body flail helplessly as my lightning came down on his neck. To strike him with purple lightning, over and over until he was charred and black. In the end he'd look just like his mother, and like his mother he'd die at the hands of the lightning girl. I can't help the crooked smile that spreads on my face. It doesn't go unnoticed._

 _"Kneel." Maven yanks the leash down with the command, giving me no time to do as he asks by myself. The crowd in front of me snickers as I fall forward, my face slamming into the white marble with a sickening crack._

 _I stifle my cry, trying to maintain a brave and defiant façade. A few tears of pain slip out against my will, and I curse silently before wiping them away. The more submissive I seem, the more damage the Guard will receive. I tell this to myself over and over, trying to ignore the hateful stares of the Silvers._

 _'Head up, chin up, look in their eyes defiantly.'_

 _Maven begins his speech, detailing my many offenses to the kingdom: helping Cal murder the king, murdering the Queen, organizing against the Crown, etc. The crowd roars with anger and hatred._

 _Maven pauses before continuing, speaking of my ruthlessness and the innocent people I've killed. The latter makes my face waver with shame._

 _"Death is too good for a killer. I will make sure she suffers, for the late Queen and King, and for my people." Maven finishes with a harsh glare of determination._

He is an exceptional liar. If I hadn't known otherwise, I would've believed Cal killed his father. I would've believed that I was a terrorist that killed innocent children. I would've believed that Maven was a kind and forgiving king. But I know better. I know better than to hope for the latter, and I know better than to believe anything he says. Maven is a cruel, obsessive, and merciless boy.

 _And I am his pet._

* * *

The first thing I notice when I am forced awake is the silence pressing down on me. The cell walls are made from silent stone, the weight bearing down on my throbbing body. To make it worse, two Arvens stand guard outside my cell. Their silence makes the pressure triple, and I am surprised I can still breath.

"Help!" A young girl screams. I struggle to sit up, turning my head to the cell in front of me. My breath catches as I see a young girl strung up, a Strongarm crushing her. She's no more than 15 years old.

Our eyes meet, mine blurry and confused, hers wide.

And in that moment, I recognize her. She was one of the maids that would bring in my clothing when I was betrothed to Maven.

She seems to recognize me to because she glares at me in hatred. I don't remember her name, but she sure knows mine. As soon as she was associated with me they probably stuck her in a cell, leaving her to anticipate her death.

The silver in the cell crushes her hand in his and I am reminded of Gisa. Like her, she was punished because of me. I can do nothing but watch, a scream stuck in my throat as the girl thrashes in pain. Her limbs crushed, her body mangled.

And just like that, its over. I see the Strongarm lift her up and I finally turn away, eyes burning from unshed tears. He takes her body away, leaving me to my own, destructive thoughts.

 _"This is all your fault,"_ a voice inside me hisses. " _That girl was innocent and you put her to death_." I sigh shakily, trying to banish the voice. I've saved many and killed many, but those that I've saved strongly outnumber the ones that weren't supposed to be killed.

"This is what happens when you disobey orders, Mare." A voice purrs. "All the killing, all the destruction the little lightning girl has caused. You must be punished for it."

I whip around, face made into the harshest glare I could muster. Maven steps into view, smirking at me.

His message is clear. The girl was tortured in front of me to show that if I do not comply, if I do not obey, anyone I love or know will pay the price. Rage shakes my body, causing his smile to widen. I growl and attempt to lunge at him, but I only get so far. I hit the floor hard.

I am not prepared for the pressuring silence that weighs down on me. Breathing is difficult, let alone walking. Everything becomes blurry and distorted as I sit up, the cells bars less than two feet away. Maven is behind them, chuckling at my failed attempt to hurt him. My hands ache to wrap around his delicate pale neck until his heart no longer beats.

As if he senses my murderous thoughts, the collar around my neck tightens. I gag, clawing at the metal. The force drags me to the bars where a rough hand clips the leash onto my collar. Two bars are stretched apart and I tumble out, laying conveniently at the King's feet.

I spot Evangeline beside him, controlling the metal. She must've been there all along, waiting for me to do something. Waiting until she can hurt me. Still unable to breath, I wither in pain. I cough, I choke, I heave. Cold eyes stare down at me, unsympathetic. Blue eyes. His mother's eyes.

Just as black threatens to take over my vision, Maven tells her to release.

With the smallest huff of frustration, she does as he commands. Sometime while I was recovering, Maven dismissed her. That left me, Maven, and the guards. My throat still throbs as he pulls the leash up, leaving me breathless. I gasp, trying to relieve the pressure. I am on my knees, yet he held the leash uncomfortably high. This causes the collar to tilt in to one side and bite into my neck. Enjoying my discomfort, he bent down so we were face to face.

"The people want to see you suffer. _Who am I to deny them that?_ "


	2. Lightning, Pain, and a Kiss

A/N: **I just found out that Maven is bisexual (I had a suspicion) and I am so shook like I'm crying? I'm so happy?** Anyway...Thank you to the two follows I received! To anyone else reading,  please review, favorite, and/or follow. Please keep in mind this story will always be told in Mare's POV.  
~Feminist Queen I do not own the Red Queen series :(

* * *

Enjoying my discomfort, he bent down so we were face to face.

"The people want to see you suffer. _Who am I to deny them that_?"

I glare at him and he smirks back. We stay like this for three seconds or three years, I do not know.

Maven stands upright and hands the leash to the Arven on my right. He begins to walk away and I am quickly hoisted up by my arms and forced to follow him.

Still unable to walk from the pressuring silence, I lag behind. Every few steps I am roughly shoved forward, making me stumble.

The trip is a blur, not only because of my wavering consciousness but from my bleary eyes. They struggle to make sense of what they see but in the end can not grasp the situation. I need to know what's happening, I need to feel again. I glower in my captor's direction as severe as I can.

Maven barely even turns his head.

"I know you want the Arvens to go away so you can strike me down," he says. Oh how correct he is. "It's very clear in your eyes what you want. But be careful, once I am finished with you, you will beg for the silence."

My heart freezes and before I can do anything I am thrust into a room. Given no time to process my surroundings, the Arvens move ahead of Maven. They force me down with metal straps wrapped in some kind of plastic. I lay on the cold, metal table, wide awake (although a little disoriented). I turn my head to the side and sigh quietly.

Sharp blue eyes met mine and I quickly turn away, surveying where I am.

A camera blinks at me from across the room, its lens glistening in the bright light. The white walls are bland and boring while the high ceiling makes me a dizzy. I close my eyes. An Arven stands on both sides of me, their pressure never ending.

I think back to what Maven said. I will beg for silence? Right now it's everything I don't want. With my powers back I could kill at least three fourths of the people in this room in seconds before Maven or the guards stop me.

 _What are they going to do to me?_

I begin to sweat, anticipation and fear building up in my chest, ready to burst out. That mostly means that the pain they-no, _Maven_ , will cause will be so drastic I will beg to go back to the silent stone cell.

' _Hold in the screams for as long as you can. You can't let your weakness show,_ ' I tell myself. ' _For my family and for the Guard, act as brave as you can, as unwilling. Struggle as if you're mad, not in fear.'_

Despite the consequence that the organization's image could be hurt, I start to worry.

Maven walks to me, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"You used your lightning to kill her. Now, I will do the same to you." He says so quietly I barely hear him.

My blood runs cold, eyes wide. This is it, I'm going to die. He's going to use my powers against me; he's going to burn me, mutilate me, and watch me scream until I am no longer living.

"No," Maven smiles and shakes his head, seeing my terrified eyes. "You are not allowed to escape through death. Although, I will make sure you fully feel the extent of what your powers can do."

I should've known he isn't one to give up his toys so quickly. He will never let me go, even if every other silver wants me dead. I do not know if Maven's obsession with me is good or bad.

I turn my eyes to the ceiling and wait.

Two minutes later, a red light on the camera blinks red. Maven begins.

"Citizens of Norta, many of you have begged to see this criminal, this _murderer_ , be punished for her crimes. As the King, it is my duty to carry out your wishes." He lies solemnly.

I laugh without humor, the idea that he would care about what the people think is absolute bull shit.

"After consulting the council, we have come to the conclusion that her punishments will be broadcasted across the kingdom. Sometimes, if the punishment is... _good enough_ , you will see it live. For now, enjoy Mare Barrow's retribution, the idea coming from my late mother."

To my surprise, when he turns to walk away so do the Arvens. They follow him safely away from me, their silence fading with each step. Out of view of the cameras, Maven gives me a devilish smirk laced with insanity.

I expected to feel my lightning rush back, to have my powers to at least some extent as before. To my dismay, that does not happen.

I can hear the hum of electricity running through the walls and through the room, but all I can feel is a slight tingle in my finger and toes. I wiggle them and it spreads a little, although it is weaker.

I don't have time to experiment because my mind is broken by a familiar click. My muscles tighten as it fills my head, the beat slow and steady.

 **click...click...click...**

Tingly sensations, my electricity, race up and down my body, causing me to bite back groans of pain.

 **click...click...click**

I beg myself to keep it together for as long as possible, but how can I when my body tries to destroy itself? I clench my fists tightly as the voltage gets stronger.

Just like before, the clicks start out slow but gain speed.

My head is split open and I finally let out a scream. Electricity runs up and down me, causing muscles to clench and my body to jerk. I arch my back as loud cries of agony leave my lips.

 **click click click click**

White blinds my vision, a few streaks of purple cutting in. It soon follows with shattering pain.

 **CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK**

I feel my flesh slide off as I struggle to get away from my own electricity. My skin burns, peels, and is ripped away to reveal bone.

Everything is hot, yet everything is cold.

Through all of the shocks, through all of the excruciating pain, one thing remains constant.

Blue eyes, sparkling with a sick joy. He is enjoying my suffering. Maven is happy to show me how it feels to have your flesh ripped off with your own nails as you try to get it away. To show me how it feels to have your head split open, how it feels to scream for help and have no one come.

To show me how his mother felt when I killed her.

 **CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK**

"P-PLEA-ASE," I shriek, back arching in pain. My fingers curl as a bolt hits me, its energy winding through my nerves, my muscles. "S-ST...!" I can not finish my sentence, as a particularly strong current flows through me.

Maven was right. I beg for the pain to stop, for the Arvens to come back with the silence. No amount of their powers can equal the pain of my own lightning. My screams and begs are ignored, and the oh so righteous king never stops the torture. A small voice tells me I deserve it but it is quickly whisked away by the exploding pain. The more I fight, the more powerful the shocks. I try to still my body, to take back my mind. But the clicker scatters my thoughts and I end up withering on the table once again, my throat raw and muscles clenching.

 **CLICLICLICLICLICLICLI** -

The clicks are so fast they blend together. My lightning is so intense now that I can not make a sound, the scream burning in my throat.

As the white grows brighter as ever, it finally lets out to a deep, dark black.

I welcome it and drift into a painfully numb state.

* * *

I wake up to a massive headache and the familiar pressuring silence. I sigh and grip the sheets weakly, trying to anchor myself to reality. I can tell I am in a room instead of the cell from the soft mattress and silky comforter. I shiver in disgust at where I am. Why torture me gleefully then put me in a grand room?

Suddenly, a hand lays itself on my arm, cool and comforting. I stifle a hiss of fear, jumping away and glaring through bleary eyes at the intruder.

Dark grey orbs stare back at me, their gaze soft. The girl wears plain clothes with red and silver at the shoulders. House Skonos. My heart squeezes in pain as I am instantly reminded of Sarah, Julian's lover. Elara cut out her tongue, leaving her mute and out of sight.

Like Sarah, the girl is quiet and works swiftly. The healer cradles my head in her hands and I feel the pain seep away, drawn out by her powers. Before I woke up she had been healing my burnt skin (or rather what remained of it) and other wounds. Only a few minor injuries were still there and she quickly heals them in minutes.

The girl reaches to heal the large scar on my back, the one inflicted by Maven the first time he used the Clicker. I stop her.

I need this to remind me how cruel he can be, to remind myself never to give in and believe his lies. She does not question it, moving on efficiently. I sigh in relieve, not in the mood to explain. Finished, she looked me up and down for any more visible wounds.

"Thank you." I croak out and my throat burns with the words.

The healer nods and, sensing my pain, touches my throat. The numbness slips under my skin and it feels like honey sliding down my throat.

The door opening interrupts the odd quietness, and the girl begins to rush. She touches the M branded into my skin. Just as she is about to heal it, a voice rings out.

"That stays, Wren," Maven says, stopping in front of the bed. She stops, pulling her hand away as if burnt. "You are dismissed. That is, if everything has been healed, yes?"

It wasn't a question. He expected everything to be done, and if not there would be hell to pay. She nods before drifting out of the room.

I refuse to look Maven in the eyes, deciding to instead glare at the neutral grey sheets. We stay still in silence for years before he makes his way to my side. I do not move.

"Look at me."

I can feel fear start to bubble up but I push it back down. There's no time to have muddled thoughts. I must keep my mind clear and be ready for anyt-

Maven grabs my jaw in a fast motion, forcing my face inches from his.

" _ **Look. At. Me.**_ " He commands softly through clenched teeth. Maven's grip tightens until I meet his penetrating eyes. I hold in a groan as his hold threatens to crush my jaw. I didn't know he had gotten so strong.

He stares into my watering eyes, searching for something only he knows. Maven's grip never wavers, leaving me whimpering as he slowly crushes my bone. To take my mind off of Maven's death grip, I study the new king.

Purple and blue bags hang below his eyes, cream covering up the severity of it. His cheeks have began to sink in, his face hollow and sickly pale. It looks like he hasn't been sleeping well. Despite his tired appearance, his bright eyes remind me that he is still young, my age.

Just as my hands begin to creep up to try and move him away, Maven releases. He must not have found what he wanted.

I stifle a gasp, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me hurt. I ignore the urge to rub my throbbing jaw.

I know he isn't his mother and doesn't have her mind invading capability, but sometimes I swear he can read my thoughts. Or at least tries to.

Maven sits on the side of the bed, hands resting in his lap. After a moment of silence he begins to speak.

"Do you like your new room?" He inquires.

I almost laugh. Here we are, the boy that tortured me and killed my friends and family, in his home talking about how I feel about my new room.

"I suppose it's better than the cell, _your majesty_." I sneer, spitting at him. It falls harmlessly on the bed sheet, causing the spot to darken.

"Ah, ah, ah," he shook his finger teasingly in front of him. "Watch your tone. You don't want your precious sister to end up like your maid, do you?"

I sit up straight, my body shaking.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her or the rest of my family." I growl, lunging toward him. My lightning may be gone, but my hands are not. They swipe at his chest with weak ferocity. My fingers barely damage the fabric.

His slap is fast and hard, pushing me back. My check stings and I can tell he will leave a bruise.

"Remember who you are talking to, _Mare_ ," Maven is dangerously close to me. I could bite him he is so close, bite him so hard he'll bleed. For my family's sake I refrain myself, instead focusing on my burning cheek and the too close Maven. "I am the King of Norta and I can do whatever I please."

"I tell the soldiers who to _kidnap_ , who to _torture_ , who to _kill._ I won't hesitate to call them upon your family. _You are mine, and you will obey_. Or else your family will surely pay the price."

He crushes his lips to mine. The kiss is rough and uncomfortable, my hands pushing weakly against his chest. I struggle to pull away from his hungry, cold lips, but the silence leaches at my energy. Eventually, all I can do is lay there as he kisses me.

After what seems like an eternity he pulls away, wiping the evidence off his lips.

"Remember what I have said and I promise your life here will go smoothly. If you don't take heed my warning...you know what will happen."

With that being said, he turns on his heel and strides to the door. Without glancing back at me he says his final words.

"And most of all, _remember who you belong to_."

He smoothes his shirt, brushing off nonexistent dirt before leaving.

I wait five minutes to ensure he is gone. After it is clear he will not return soon, I turn on my side and let the tears flow.


	3. Brand

A/N: Thank you for all of your support! I don't know what I should call y'all, **review your thoughts** please^ If you see ANY mistakes tell meee!  
I do not own the Red Queen series...unfortunately.

* * *

I wake up to soft sunlight spilling through the window and onto the bed, my lightning scars hurting. The ridges run from the side of my neck to my lower back, a few treadles trailing around my side. I rub them gently, tracing them with a bloody, nail bitten finger. It relieves the sensations temporarily, but it is something I can deal with.

Physically I am healed. Mentally is a different case. I hate to admit it but any tingly sensation leaves me scared and uncomfortable, the lasting effects of what the Clicker has done to me. It reminds me of the electricity that racked my body and left my nerves frayed. With time I may heal, but time is not something I have. Not only do I not know my punishments, but the date I am subjected to them is also unknown. Any hour of the day they could come in and take me away. I shiver thinking about it, turning away from the bright window.

The Arvens stand guard outside, as silent as their powers. They do not move unless they are switching shifts and they do not speak at all.

I think it's ironic how I have three or more Arvens with me at all times, but I am the loneliest I have ever been.

I am surrounded by dangerous people, but the thing most likely to kill me is my mind.

It swirls with conflicting thoughts. Maven seems to hate me, torturing me and enjoying my suffering.  
On the other hand, he gives me a large, spacious room (although I am certain he did it to taunt me).

Then, there's the kiss. He did it forcefully, without my consent. It was cold and awkward, my lips still and unmoving as his did the opposite. My lips are chapped from days on the run while his are soft from his pampered life. No matter how much I made it clear I had not wanted him there (much less forcing himself on me) he persisted. Maven seemed to revel in my discomfort, making him more than satisfied.

I push the thoughts away as the door opens. Before they see me I pull the covers up and close my eyes, attempting to slow my breaths.

I do not hear any movement, but somehow the person had managed to make it to my bedside without a sound. Either the room is too quiet or they're too close because I can faintly hear their heart beat. It is calm and steady and I can feel myself being lured to sleep.

 _'Stay awake_ ,' my logical side of the brain screams. _'You don't know who this is!_ '

But I ignore it blissfully and unwillingly, the thought of peace drawing me in.

That is, until I feel the familiar metal bracelet brush my face. It is cold and smooth, the side rubbing against my face as they tuck stray hairs behind my ear.

It clears my head and scares me awake. I begin to think carefully. The only person that would be allowed to see me alone and wears a metal bracelet is Maven. Of course.

I stop my eyes from flashing open, instead focusing on steadying my overreacting heart. I could stay still and listen for any valuable information, or I could move away from him.

The first option is the logical choice but I can't help but want to get away from his cold touch. However, I lay there and let him watch me. Every once in awhile he'll fix my hair and I'll have to suppress a shiver of disgust.

Maven pulls a chair over to the side, the ends scrapping the floor. Its a loud and unexpected sound, making me jump slightly. Shit. I hope he didn't see it.

For thirty minutes we sit in silence, only the soft sounds of our breaths and heartbeats interrupting it.

I'm starting to wonder if he's still here and I contemplate opening up one eye to see. I know I can't, but it's very unsettling when he doesn't make a sound.  
Questions fill my mind as I lay there quietly Why is he sitting in here, how does he have time? What about his meetings?

I have plenty of time to ponder it, not noticing the small shuffle of him standing up.

Before I can comprehend what's happening his lips are on mine once again. They move against mine softly, very different from his last one. Either way it makes me sick and I force myself not to gag. This time I can not push him away in fear of giving myself away.

I struggle to keep my eyes closed, holding back the urge to vomit as my mouth is forced open.

To make it worse he begins to move on top of the bed slowly, inching his way on.

I can't stop my eyes from flying open, looking at him fearfully. He sees me but doesn't stop, smiling against my lips. I am shocked to see that he is not surprised, smirking at me with ruffled hair.

Maven finally pulls away, whispering into my ear.

"It's not nice to pretend to sleep when your king is in the room waiting. _That's equivalent to lying, and I am not one to tolerate such individuals."_

The words send shivers down my spine and I shove him off quickly, scrambling to sit up. He's known I've been awake.

I curse mentally, my skills lagging because of the Arvens. Crossing my arms, I put up a barrier of some sort between us.

I can't help the tears that well up, but I can stop them from falling. I refuse to let him see that.

I huff, breathing hard as he had not allowed me to breathe in between the forceful 'kisses'. We stare each other down, breaths heavy.

"Like what you see," He responds to my glower. "Or should I say _taste_?"

In fear of my voice revealing my feelings of violation, I can only manage one sentence.

"Why force yourself on me?" I throw him a watery glare.

"Simple. I was seeing how long you would pretend to be asleep. How much you would put up with before you 'woke up'." He replies with a grin.

"I knew you were awake, you were eavesdropping. Waiting for me to whisper something you can use, or say something you weren't supposed to hear. What were you expecting me to say? 'I love you'?" He jokes, chuckling. It is a calculated move, he knows that it will cause turmoil in my head.

He's right, because despite my hatred for him, I can't help but feel hurt: my eyes betraying how I feel.

Maven notices it instantly and his sly smirk grows bigger.

"Awe," he purrs, moving towards me slowly. "The little lightning girl wants me to love her."

I back up, having to get off the bed to get away. Within seconds he has me cornered.

"No," I snarl. I have to say something but I don't know what. "I...I don't..." I trail off, cheeks turning red with embarrassment. I turn away from him, mad that I have no idea how to tell him I don't want his love without sounding needy.

I put my hands up to stop him from getting too close as I back away. He grabs a wrist in each hand and I push against him, trying to get him to let go.

Maven squeezes them tightly as he leans down close.

"You, Mare Barrow, will never be loved," he growls. "No one wants to, you are indecisive and only care about yourself, as _your brother's death proves it."_

Blood rushes to my face and I spit on him. How dare he blame Shade's death on me.

In response he slams my body against the wall. I swear I hear a crack, and whether it was the wall or my spine I don't know.

I hold in my pained scream, letting my anger take ahold of me. I can't-no, I **_won't_** talk about Shade's death with him. Maven doesn't deserve to even speak his name. So, instead I bring up me, his _pet_ , his _obsession_.

"No one will love me?" I taunt. "It seems you do, especially in your notes. You begged me to come back, you begged me to leave Cal! You, the shadow of your brother, can't stand that he took the one person you thought you could have!"

I take a deep breath, the tears finally spilling out.

His eyes widen and his lip quivers.

 _Have I gone too far? Was mentioning his brother too much?_

He deserves to be in pain. I shouldn't care, but I do. I fear punishment, for both myself and the people I care about. Maven won't hesitate to carry out his threat as he so kindly showed me that day in the cell.

He stares at me before leaning down to my ear. I feel his smirk before I see it.

"You're right, I do love you. _I love you so much I hate you_." He whispers, his grip on my wrists tightening so much its unbearable. I struggle, trying to get away.

"I hate you so much that I can do this-"  
He burns my wrists in his palms, pressing down as hard as he can.

My head is thrown back as I scream, my knees buckling underneath me. No, I can not go down, he will not let me. Maven holds me up, pulling me back upright and forcing my back against the wall.

"-and not feel bad because I did it out of love."

"I love you so much I can do this-"  
Maven releases my blistering wrists and kisses it softly. I am unable to stop him because I am weak, and unfortunately his cold lips feel good against my burnt skin; I let him do it.

"-and you'll let me because you love it."'

 _'I don't love it_ ,' I try to say. _'I can't stop you from doing it no matter how much I try, so why waste what little energy I have left?'_

He backs up, letting me slide to the clean, carpeted floor. I lay there, too tired to move. Maven and the Arvens both have taken up all my energy.

Maven lifts my chin up with a single finger, forcing me to look at him. I do so without complaining, fast tears falling from my eyes.

"Who do you obey?" He asks quietly.

I clench my eyes shut as I respond, humiliated and drained of every feeling but pain.

" _ **Maven Calore**_."

He is gone before I take my next breath, the door shut silently behind him by an Arven.

* * *

A late breakfast is set on the desk by the bed, the silver worker giving me a disgusted look before leaving just as quickly as he came.

I manage to gather enough strength to pull myself onto the soft sheets, crawling in carefully. My blistered wrist brushes against the corner of the cover and I can't hold back the cry that erupts from my mouth.

"Screw the food." I grunt. Barely able to see through the pain I stumble into the bathroom, knocking over a bowl of oatmeal on my way.

It has sparkly white tiles and neutral grey walls to match the room. Jewels are embedded into almost everything, making my already sick stomach sicker with guilt.

As soon as I step into the bathroom I am hit with a wave of numb. I choke, doubling over.

My throbbing wrists, bruised cheek, scarred back, puckered brand, and the sudden wave of silent stone sent me off the edge. I begin to vomit, rushing into the bathroom to get to the toilet.

It makes it worse. The obscene liquid spills out as I empty out my stomach. I reach up for a towel on the counter, my hand brushing against a jewel. It radiates silence, making me cough as bile rises. I resume my earlier activity.

Footsteps make me pause momentarily, glancing up to see who is there. A bald headed Arven walks up to the open door and stares at my kneeling form. He looks me up and down, making sure I'm not planning to dig my way out of here.

As if I can with all this silent stone.

I gag, covering my mouth. Turning away I spill my guts once again. He gives me a disgusted look before speaking.

"Spend no longer than an hour or it will be very detrimental to your health. Be out of here by 11:10 or there will be punishment." He turned away and left, more concerned about his consequences of if I die rather than my health.

After I've puked up seemingly all my organs, I carefully clean up. I make sure to avoid contact with the jewels at all costs.

I stand up on wobbly knees and head to the sink.

"Another wound.." I mutter. Glancing down, I take my first good look at the red skin.

I gasp.

The puckered skin is not a blister.

 ** _It is a new brand_**.


	4. Why Must It Be Her?

A/N: Thank you all for your support! You are appreciated! Please review your thoughts. **I have also found out the device used against Mare is actually a sounder, not a clicker.** Much love ~

I do not own the Red Queen series

* * *

The puckered skin is not a blister.

 _It is a new design_.

On each burnt wrist, right in the middle, is a small crown. It is a dark red-black, the skin around it blistered.  
I wince and turn the facet on in the sink, slowly sticking my throbbing wrist in it. I hiss as the cold water hits the skin, but eventually it soothes the burn.

I find an old, dusty package of bandages in the far back of the cabinet, allowing me to at least cover up the wound.

I stand there shakily, pondering what will happen next. Hopefully, Wren will come in and heal the wound. I don't want this to get infected, especially with my immune system so messed up.

Back in the Stilts, if you got an infection the best you could hope for was the loss of that body part. I've seen it happen to many people, mostly the kids. The younger ones would be playing in the creek and get a little too rough, cutting themselves on a sharp rock or hook. From there, it got infected from the contaminated water, or just the dirty conditions. Because many were so poor, they couldn't afford the limb to be amputated. They either tried themselves or it spread to the entire body, killing the child.

I close my eyes at the sad memory, wondering what my home is like now. Are the people being attacked? Is my house destroyed? What would it be like if I was still Mare Barrow from the stilts instead of the little Lightning Girl?

' _Free_ ' I think bitterly before scolding myself. No, I'd still be in a cage, just a slightly bigger one. Or I would be in the Choke, fighting for a lost cause. I would be relatively safe, but others would not. Newbloods and millions of other innocents would've died if I hadn't found my electricity.

 _'But Shade would still be alive'_ a small voice whispers. I push it down deep into my mind until it dissolves into a memory of pain. My lungs feel tight and somehow I know it's not just from the thought of Shade, but the added silent stone. I need to get out.

Walking shakily to the bed, I use the wall as support. Eventually I make it, sinking down onto the silky covers. I disgust myself as I seek comfort in their soft touch. How many reds slaved over making this?

I shiver at the thought, pushing away all the sheets until I am left with a bare mattress. The burns on my wrist hurt as I move everything, but I ignore it and continue my task. Even stripped, the bed is soft and comfortable.

So, I sleep on the floor. I don't deserve the comfort of the bed. Too many people like me, like Gisa, have been made to work for the Silvers, it disgusts me that I have indulged in it.  
Suddenly, my stomach cramps and I cover my mouth, waiting for the acidic liquid to fill it. After a few seconds nothing comes up and I sigh in relief. It is probably hunger, considering I just threw up everything.

I reach over to get the now cold dish. Two pieces of soggy toast, a bowl of liquidy eggs, and three pieces of fat soaked bacon. A glass of what I think is orange juice is on the side. My mouth waters and I eat quickly. I know I should slow down because I will get sick, but this is the first meal I've had in two days. Going to grab the napkin, I spot the mess of oatmeal I made on the floor.

I feel no shame at the spilled bowl because I know a silver will have to clean it up. Maven doesn't trust me with regular red servants, thinking I will convince them to give a message to the guard.

I wipe my mouth with the napkin and the smallest piece of paper flutters out. I grab it quickly, hope rising in my chest. It is folded, and once I open it fully it is three times its original size.

The note is written in small, crooked handwriting, showing that the person rushed to write it. I begin to read.

 _ **"Mare**_

 _ **I know you are mad at me because I told the King where you were, but please understand it will lead to the most optimal outcome for your side. You do not believe me, but trust me once more. I was right about everything else and I will be right again. In two days time, someone will come and try to rescue you. It will fail, and you will be left with Maven.**_

 _ **To save your family, fake devotion. Do as he says and anything possible to make him believe you return his feelings. Gain his trust and you will receive important information that can lead to either your downfall or his. I know you will not want to, but you will find success if you do so. The Guard is depending on you, little Lightning Girl."**_

I do not need it to be signed to know who it is from. Anger burns in me as I rip the letter to pieces. He sold me out to Maven! I know I shouldn't be angry because he did it for the right cause, but I can't help it. Torture and an enormous amount of silent stone can do that to a person. I should let Maven find the letter and punish Jon, but I know I will be punished with him. So I scoop the mushy oatmeal back into the bowl and mix the small shreds in. The paper seems to dissolve quickly.

Not five seconds afterwards, the door slams open and I jump. Looking down at the oatmeal, I see no traces of the treacherous paper left. I smile internally before looking up. Two sentinels stride in, guarding a metal clad woman.

She struts in before glaring down at me.

" _Evangeline_ ," I sneer sweetly. "What brings your lovely self here?"

"Shut it, Red." She growls, flicking her wrist in my direction.

The Arvens standing guard outside come in, hauling me up. They bring me to Evangeline swiftly, me putting up no fight as I have little energy. She smirks as she clips on my collar, giving it a harsh tug to 'make sure it's on correctly'. I gag, spitting on her after she laughs. It hits her right on the forehead and a hoarse laugh escapes my mouth.

She wipes it off and goes to punch me but an Arven stops her.

"The King has ordered that no one is to harm the prisoner without him present." He says nervously.

Evangeline glares at him dangerously before lowering her fist.

"You dare do that to me when I am Queen and the filthy red won't be the only prisoner here." She sneers, turning on her heel.

We follow her as she steers us through door after door. Now that I am awake I memorize each and everything we pass. How many windows on the hall? How many lights?

We eventually make it to tall, wooden doors. Evangeline motions for the Arvens to step away from me and I smile internally. Does she think I won't rip her apart? They can control my lightning but they can't control my hands and feet.

The Arvens, as if sensing my thoughts, hesitate.

"Do as I say," she hisses. "If being queen isn't enough to make you listen, I was given permission by-" She was cut off by a sharp voice.

"-by me, Maven Calore, King of Norta." Maven finished for her. The sentinels and Arvens bow quickly and to my disgust I am forced down too. He smirks at this.

Before addressing everyone, Maven leans down to Evangeline and says quietly,"Let me remind you, Lady Samos, you are not queen yet."

I see a flash of anger in her eyes before her face goes blank. "Of course, my King." She coos.

He turns to me, smiling wickedly. "I have a special present for you, Mare."

I glare at him in return, and despite the pit growing in my stomach I force my self to turn away so I don't look at him. A childish move, I know, but its the best I can do given my situation. He looks at me darkly before nodding at my guards.

"Enjoy." He sneers and the Arvens thrust me into a room.

For a moment I think I am blind. Everything is white, white walls, white doors, white ceiling. It hurts my eyes, the dazzling sight painful. The room is huge, at least that's what I think. I can't tell how high or low the ceiling is either. Because of the lack of color, my depth perception is slightly off.

The guard waiting for me puts a chain on my ankle to prevent me from moving more than two feet. For some reason I know that this will come off, and it won't be a good thing.

The door in front of me opens suddenly and I jump, startled. A young girl struggles in a sentinel's arms, a woven bag over her head. Her cries are muffled as she is thrown to the ground. Who is she? Why was she brought in here? What is going on?

As questions fill my head the top portion of the wall slides away to reveal glass. It is far above me, out of my reach by about ten feet. Behind it sits restless silvers, hunger in their eyes. I shift uncomfortably. Glancing to the tallest seat, I see it is a far distance away from the others. Maven sits next to Evangeline, their hands intertwined. The small looks of disgust both written on their faces show me it is just for show, and I smile. If I am unhappy in my situation at least they are too.

Maven stands up and walks to the microphone, staring out at his subjects coldly.

"Citizens of Norta," He begins. "You have been selected to witness the punishment of Mare Barrow, but unlike those that will watch it on screen, you have been given the opportunity to see it live. We have five minutes until the cameras start to record, for now you may talk amongst yourselves."

The silvers in the stands above begin to talk in excited, hushed voices that are muffled slightly by the glass. While they talk happily, I think about how many different possibilities I can be tortured. A banshee could burst my eardrums and make my eyes bleed, while a nymph could push water into my lungs and make me drown.

A shiver passes through me and I sit down, preserving the small amount of energy I have for the fight to come. I look around when Maven catches my eye. We stare at each other, waiting for one or the other to back down. Eventually he turns away, whispering to Evangeline. She frowns but doesn't say anything, looking straight ahead.

Turning my attention to the girl, I take note of her struggling figure. She looks slightly taller than me, but not as wide. The girl has little to no muscles, but nice curves. She has tried to get away multiple times, and eventually the guards hold her up by her arms. She screams and kicks but it does nothing to help her situation. I can tell the guards are getting frustrated, the one on the right even smacking the back of her head. Her shrieks are muffled from the bag and I try to make out what she says to no avail.

Why is she here anyway? Am I supposed to fight her? My gut tells me no, which for some reason scares me even more. What if it's someone I know? I've mostly behaved so he has no reason to hurt or kidnap them, he promised. Then again, when has he ever kept his word?

I scoot up to the wall and lean back, closing my eyes. My wrists burn from the constant shifting and moving, and I am glad I put a bandage on it. To go along with that discomfort, my cheek is badly bruised, my back aches, and my stomach threatens to spill once more. The Arvens's silence still suffocates me from their place outside the doors, however it's not as biting as before. I can't use my lightning, but I can breathe more easily.

Before I know it five minutes have passed and the camera above beeps. I haven't noticed before, but there are multiple ones surrounding the room. Some are pointing at me while the others point at the girl. The main camera stares at Maven as he begins speaking.

He starts with the usual, addressing my criminal acts, the punishments, and showing Norta that he controls me. What comes afterwards triggers my attention.

"The filthy Red has shown her resilience and feistiness," The Silvers in the stand hiss and mutter. "But how long can she fight after being weakened, while also defending a pathetic red girl?"

I want to scream and throw everything within reach. I want to cry at the unfairness of the world. I want to sleep forever, to sleep away all the pain of Mare, Mareena, and the Little Lightning Girl. Maven knows my weak spot, he knows I will sacrifice everything to save an innocent life.

Immediately after the remarks, the guard on my side releases my chain. She leaves without a glance, the door shutting behind her softly. I rub my ankle, the skin around it tender. At the same time, the guards surrounding the girl let go of her arms and leave quickly. She struggles for a second before ripping the bag off.

Tangled, silky red curls frame her beautiful, terrified face. My heart stops.

Why must Maven Calorie hurt me?

Gisa's stares up at me, tears spilling from her eyes as she sobs. At the same time we run to each other, crying into each other's arms.

"Gisa!" I whisper, stroking her hair. What has happened to mom and dad, Bree and Tramy? Were they caught too? Fear squeezes my heart and I gasp for breath. Maven captured her. He promised that if I behaved he wouldn't hurt them.

When has he ever kept his promise?

My stomach sinks as I realize that Maven has complete control over me. Hurt and anger burns my eyes as we both cry.

"Mare," she cries. "Please don't let me die."

Her words struck deep in my heart and I freeze. In the back of my head a suspicious feeling calls to me but I push it away. I needed to focus on the situation happening, I needed to get her out alive.

I force myself to stop crying and get up as a cold voice rang out.

"People of Norta, the punishment will now begin."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys sorry about the wait I've been binging another story in this fandom and my head hurts :/ Please review! I know its not the longest but its the best I can do with a throbbing head. Sorry if it sucks :(**


	5. Broken Hand

A/N: Thank you to all that reviewed! **I run on reviews so the more I get the more motivated I am.** I have no proof read this.

Update: Just fixed some errors and changed the deal..:)

Lots of love

I do not own the Red Queen Series.

* * *

I force myself to stop crying and get up as a cold voice rang out.

"People of Norta, the punishment will now begin."

The Arvens release me from their silent clutches, the familiar tingle spreading through my body. Panic courses through my veins at the sensation, reminding me of the Sounder. My hands shake with the memory and I try furiously to remain calm. If I didn't, _I_ would be the reason Gisa and I died.

Although, I doubt Maven would let me.

My lightning is slow to return, and even harder to control. I try to force out a lightning spark, but instead they twinkle on the tips of my fingers and dance on my palm.

I shove Gisa behind me as the door on my side slid open. Three silvers step out, their wide smirks greeting me. A strong arm, a nymph, and...

I growl, my fists turning into claws. Ptolemus winks at me, grinning when I glower back. Anger collides with the electricity racing beneath my skin.

 _It is a dangerous mix_.

The feelings helps coax the lightning out, the electricity curling along my hands.

Plotemus killed Shade without a thought, without remorse. I'll do the same for him.

Lightning races up and down my arms as I take a defensive stance. Behind me Gisa shakes like a leaf, her hands clenched into tightly.

The nymph is the first to attack, using the water from a bucket I hadn't noticed before. She lashes out at me with a whip of water.

I push Gisa to the side and jump with her, the water missing us by a hair.

"Gisa," I whisper into her ear. "Go, follow and stay behind me."

I throw her a strict nod before attacking the nymph back. But before I can strike her, shards of metal fly down on us.

Gisa screams and I shoot up lightning. I manage to deflect most of them, however a few sharp pieces rain down. They cut through my ragged clothing and Gisa's bare arms. She lets out a cry, grabbing the small wounds.

"Mare!" She gasps.

"No time," I groan as I rush to the opposite side of the room. As I go I strike Plotemus's armor with a quick lightning bolt. It races up and down his metal coverings, stunning him momentarily. The crowd roars with displeasure, booing me as I hit him over and over as Gisa and I run. The magnetron tries to dodge them, and I can tell him is getting both tired and angry.

As Plotemus attempts to rip the electricity off, the nymph and strongarm advance toward us. I throw a ball of lightning at them, one of the spheres grazing the strongarm. He stumbles slightly. The nymph glares at me before retaliating with a wave of water.

I tug Gisa to the right, trying to get her to safety. She screams something unintelligible before pushing me forward. Terror fills me as I fall in front of the nymph. She laughs at my small form, raising her hands above her slim figure. The water follows her, and before I can move she claps her hand together.

As the water engulfs me, I claw at it and cry out.

 _'Bad mistake_ ,' I think as the cold liquid fills my mouth. It's pushed down my throats and into my lungs slowly.

The agony is indescribable.

My eye clench shut as pain expands through my chest. I try to push the water out, but she just forces it back in. Gagging, I thrash on the ground pathetically. Water slips through my fingers as I try to push it way.

Anger joins the fear in my stomach as I try to understand why Gisa would push me in front of the Silver. She knew I was trying to get us out of the way of danger, yet...

I push the thoughts away. I can be mad at her later, right now I need to get away and save both of us.

I can vaguely hear the crowd screaming in excitement as they watch the scene before them. They beg for my flithy red blood to be spilled, for the strongarm to tear me apart limb by limb.

To the left, I see a blurry Gisa being backed into the corner by the other two silvers, Plotemus leading. I shake in frustration and terror. The thought that he may take another one of my siblings makes my efforts to get out even more frantic.

I try desperately to sit up, but the water pressing down on me increases. As black edges into my vision, I thrust my hands above me into the water and let out a burst of electricity. It courses through the liquid and into the nymph's hands. She shrieks, losing control for a split second. The water sloshes away, leaving me gasping and choking for air.

I flail, managing to grab on to her ankle. I pull her down and twist until I hear a loud crack. I cringe, the nymph wailing in pain. She reaches down and claws at me. Her sharp nails scrap against my face and I grunt as they come back bloody. I shock her with a grunt. The nymph's screams die quickly as she passes out.

The Silvers in the stands glare at me in hatred.

" _Killer_!" They shriek. "Get her!"

I gasp for breath, letting go of the nymph's broken ankle. Tiredness engulfs me suddenly as I force myself up. My lungs throb and my sparks dance weakly beneath the skin. Groaning, I stumble over to Gisa.

The Strongarm looks back at the sound, chuckling. He glances down at the fallen Silver, his face turning to stone before letting out a cry of rage. The Strongarm is strong and fast, but not coordinated. As he runs toward me, I stepside quickly. He passes me and I reach out and touch his arm. I shock him and he falls, smashing his face into the ground. The Strongarm groans and to my pleasure doesn't get back up.

"Mare!" A shrill voice screams. I turn to see Gisa knocked into the wall with so much force the wall has little cracks into it. She falls to the ground and doesn't move. I freeze, my heart stopping as red blossoms underneath her.

 _Blood_.

As Plotemus raises his blade above his head to stab her, I snap into action. With as much strength as I can muster, I hit him with lightning so harsh it blinds me for a moment.

His body moves in jerky motions, the muscles clentching as electricty races through them. For a split second I can feel his every nerve, I can feel everything that the lightning does. I make it tear through his body, channeling the pain of losing Shade, and possibly losing Gisa.

However, before I can go on and rip apart him apart from the inside, my lightning seems to evaporate. Plotemus falls to the ground, shakes racking his body. Doors open and Wren runs in, attending to him first.

And then, as the haze of rage fades I notice the silence. Not just the Arven's powers pressing down on me, but the Silver's in the stands. They're screams of hatred have died down and are instead replaced with looks pure disgust.

Shrinking slightly from their gaze, I glance up at Maven. He has the smallest smirk on his face, which is quickly replaced with a look similar to those of the Silver's above me.

 _'Look what you've done_ ,' Their eyes scream.

Beside Maven, Evangeline struggles to remain calm. I wink and she stifles a shriek before stalking out of the room.

I breath in before rushing to Gisa, trying to ignore their pressuring stares.

Kneeling before her, I know she's not going to make it. I push a few strands of tangled hair back from her face. Her eyes flutter open. It takes a minute for her to notice me, but when she does a small tear falls from her eyes.

"I'm s-sorry," she cries quietly. "I-I thought...the Silver wa-was going to h-hit you..."

She tries to continue but I quickly shush her.

"It's not your fault, Gisa. If..." I stifle my cry. And to think I was just mad at her. I should've known she would feel guilty for it. "If I had hurried gotten out if there faster I could've prevented this."

A soft sigh escapes her lips and she reaches up to grasp my hand.

I lean down to hear her speak. The words are as soft as a feather but as heavy as slabs of silent stone.

"In the end," she whispers. "...you couldn't save either Shade or me."

It feels like I've been stabbed. My eyes go wide and I drop her hand.

Gisa would never say that. Come to think of it, she would've never pushed me toward the danger, toward the nymph. My head throbs as I try to grasp the situation. As the tears stop flowing, I am hit with an idea.

I glance down at her hand. It had fallen down on my bloody knees, her fingers curled toward me gently.

Her right hand. It's flawless, no scar to be seen. _It's perfect._

Too perfect for a hand that was smashed and broken by a Silver.

Before I can investigate further I am pulled away ruthlessly. They turn my away from her and smash my face into the ground. Rough hands force my arms behind my back and I let out a cry as they twist them painfully.

Cuffs are locked onto my hands tightly and I am dragged up by the Arvens.

I look back, managing to catch a glimsp of the body of the supposed Gisa being thrown carelessly into a bag. Despite the possibility of it not being her, it hurts to watch.

The guard slaps me to turn me around and I do it without a fight, the image of a bloody Gisa burnt into my mind.

* * *

I lay on the floor surrounded by blankets as thoughts race through my head. There's no possible way that that was Gisa.

Gisa would never push me into possible danger, and she would never say that Shade's death was my fault.

Then how did it look like her? Was someone manipulating behind the scenes?

If someone was, where did they find a red girl willing to die?

I sigh because I know the answer.

I gave myself up to for the Scarlet Guard and my family, knowing there was a possibility I could die. Many people that would do the same for the sake of their friends' and family's lives.

Although my head says it wasn't Gisa, my heart says it was.

As the thoughts rage throughout my mind, the doors are thrown open with so much force they splinter.

I gasp and sit up, my wounds protesting.

"You bitch," Evangeline growls.

I scramble back, sensing the red hot waves of agony radiating off of her. Teasing her and making fun of her is entertaining, but I know when to lay off.

She continues to stalk towards me despite the Arvens ordering her back. One of them even tries to grab her arm but she pins him to the wall with metal knives.

"Evangeline..." I warn nervously.

In the blink of an eye her hand is wrapped around my throat. It rests above the collar, squeezing my neck lightly.

"You. Almost. Killed. Him." Evangeline whispers, her dark eyes wide. She presses her thumb in the middle of my throat, increasing pressure with each word.

I choke, clawing at her hands. Arvens slowly inch in, but they're too scared to touch their future queen in fear of punishment.

The restriction increases with each second until all I can do is lay there with my hand wrapped around her wrist weakly. Tears make trails down my cheeks as I gasp for air. Just as I'm about to pass out from lack of air, Maven appears in the door way.

"Enough." His clipped footsteps stop in front of me.

Blue eyes bore into mine and I find myself reaching toward him. If the Arvens wouldn't stop her, who would?

Maven rips Evangeline away from me and I collapsed onto the floor panting, my throat and lungs aching deeply.

"You were ordered not to touch her without my permission. She is _my_ property." He hisses.

She jerks her hand out of his grasp, glaring at him.

"She almost killed me bro-"

"Almost. However, she _did_ kill my mother, who was _Queen_. You're brother is not near that title." Maven shoots back. I can see Evangeline is trying not to fight back, and apparently so does Maven.

"Evangeline," He warns sweetly. "Remember your place. You aren't Queen yet."

A threat lays beneath it and she heard it as well, bowing before sulking out of the room. The guard pinned to the wall was released as she passed, and he refuses to meet her eyes in fear.

With a flick of the wrist Maven emptied the rest of room.

It hurts to breath, especially from what Evangeline did. My cheek burns from the cuts and bruises; my wrists ache from the cuffs and brands. Overall, I was in pure hell.

My eyes are blurry with tears and my head muffled from the lack of air. I blamed that on what Maven did, what I allowed him to do.

He watches me for a few seconds, tucking my hair beneath my ear and stroking my head softly, as if I was a pet. Despite being a burner, his touch was cold.

It must reflect his heart.

To my disbelief, Maven begins to make the bed. He does it slowly, letting me watch him. I'm too tired to protest, allowing him to do as he pleases.

When he goes to pick me up I become tense. He chuckles lightly, grasping my jaw gently and turning my face to his.

"I don't bite." Maven smirks. We both know that's not true.

He bites, he hurts, and he **burns**.

I am layed down on the bed softly. My cheeks flush red in embarrassment as he pulls the sheet over me.

He notices, smiling smugly as he pulls up a chair and sits in it.

"I've come to propose a... _deal_." Maven whispers after what seems like hours.

After getting no snide comment or arguement from me, he takes that as a sign for him to continue.

"I won't search for your precious Scarlet Guard or the rest your family, if you give me one thing in return." Maven says, his arms crossed. I bristle at the mention of my family and he smiles darkly. The topic is still a fresh wound, especially after seeing a Gisa-look-like die and Shade's death.

I frown, closing my eyes. Dread settles in my stomach, weighing me down. In exchange for their safety, I know I would have to give him something that I would never want to. Waiting a moment to respond, I reply quietly.

"What would you want, Maven? I have nothing to give you, you've taken it all away."

The young king laughs, the dark kind that leaves you shaking.

"Ahh," he begins. "But you do."

"And that is?"

His hand wraps around my wrist, across my brand. I wait impatiently for his response, and when it comes I want to scream.

"You're complete and utter devotion."


	6. The Maid's Song

A/N: Sorry guys, been really busy with school work :/ but... **THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!** They've helped me so much to continue, for new ideas, and overall helping me fix and shape my writing. **KEEP IT COMING ;)**

Enjoy!

I do not own the Red Queen series.

* * *

His hand wraps around my wrist, across my brand. I wait patiently for his response, and when it comes I want to scream.

"You're complete and utter devotion."

I force myself not to move out of his grip. I needed time to think this through and assess what my actions would lead to.

"Devotion to what, exactly?" I question, trying to buy some time.

"Tsk, tsk," Maven scolds. "Don't play dumb. You are well aware of what I want."

I say nothing, which prompted him to jab at me.

"I didn't know the death of your sister had affected you so much," he points out slyly. I glare at him, the mention of Gisa bringing back memories of her supposed death.

He laughs before continuing.

"Here, I'll elaborate for you. I want you _willing_. Willing to take my love, and to give it back without hesitation."

I scoff internally. _Love_? We both have completly different definitions of love, and his is not especially pleasant.

"You will act as my wife, however you will never hold that title. You lost your chance when you chose my horrid brother." He spits out as if it's poison.

My eyes widen as I realize that this is what Jon wrote about in the note. I am supposed to make Maven think that I've broken and excepted that I am his. But, that came after someone tried to save me. Am I supposed to turn down his deal now? Will he propse it later, after someone tries to get me?

Sighing, I close my eyes. To him it looks like I'm thinking about his deal and if I should say yes or no, when in reality I'm debating when to say yes.

I _have_ to say yes. Agreeing to be his will further allow me to gain his trust, the safety of the Guard and my family being a bonus.

Pretending to be flustered, I whisper quietly.

"C-can I have more time? I need to think about this."

I stare into the deceitful depths of blue, urging him to see my confusion and innocence. For a moment, I see a flash of the old Maven. His eyes warmed and his gaze softened, a look that would make any Silver girl melt. It's gone within a second, and I realize I will never fully see the Maven I knew. Its only a small piece of him, and it is hiden deep in his heart.

Back again is the monster, the cold-blooded king. He stands up slowly, watching me the entire time. Pondering my question, he finally answers.

"Three days," he says. We look at each other, trying to figure out what the other person is thinking. I try to convey a sad, pathetic look, but that causes him to look at me suspiciously.

Note to self, become pathetic _gradually_. He gives me a look over once more before starting toward the door.

He steps out, turning back to say one more thing.

"I'll send Wren in to heal you. We can't have you complaining about wounds when you have something much more important to think about."

My eyebrows raise in shock, causing Maven to smile slightly. As I begin an awkward thank you, he's already gone.

* * *

I stretch my back, laying on the floor. Sunlight fliters through the window, shining onto the spot next to me. I run my hand through it, convincing myself that I can feel the difference between the room and sunlight.

Once Wren had healed me two days ago, I had pulled together enough strength to get onto the floor. I had promptly fell asleep, tired from the day's ordeal.

Today is the last day I have to ' _think_ ' about Maven's deal. It is also the last day I am giving to the person that is supposed to try and save me. If they do not come, then I will agree to Maven's deal. I don't know how drastic it will change what Jon saw, but I really have no choice.

I'm have to get Maven to trust me, and the only way to do that is to be willing. Or, atleast, act like it.

The door opens and a silver drops a tray with food on the ground. Without looking at me he slides it over with a kick. Like always, he spills the drink. The first time I complained, but I've learnt not to.

He doesn't listen, and he kicked it even harder when he realized it annoyed me.

It slides to me with a clank and I nod at him. He sneers before closing the door.

On the tray is the standard lunch, a serving of meat, fruit, vegetables, and a glass of whatever there is. Today's meat was fish with asparagus and peaches. It's not a good mix and the fish is burnt, but it's food.

I eat it up, espcially after learning that it's the only meal I get a day. Evangeline had convinced Maven to change it from two meals to one, and he complyed. It would hurt me, but it wouldn't kill me. It's better than what she wanted to happen orginally, with a meal once a week.

The food portions are small, and I find myself longing for tomorrow. Back in the Stilts we didn't have filling meals, but we atleast usually had them three times a day; Mom made sure of that.

It's been two days and I've already grown weaker. I get exhausted just by going to take a shower and my hands are constantly shaky.

You'd think that if Maven wanted me to accept his deal he would treat me nicer, but that is obviously not the case.

I stay in the room, never allowed out. There's also been no punishments, which both scares and relieves me. He's either enjoying me being always on guard or too busy to bother with me.

I'm extremely bored all the time. I sleep, eat, sleep, tear up whatever I can, sleep, shower, sleep, and repeat. Sometimes when I get fustrated, or if I think about something too hard, I'll throw things. It's mainly my empty plates and forks, and I'll make sure to scream while throwing it. I try to get the guards outside to do something, anything, but nobody ever comes.

The silence will get too loud, so I'll have to make my own noise to show that I'm not alone. I usually have these breakdowns when I try to figure out if it was Gisa or not, or what it would be like if Shade was still alive.

I don't cry because I can't, I won't let myself. Because I know that when I start, I won't be able to stop.

* * *

The sun has gone down and was replaced by the shimmery moon. I sit at the bottom of the window, watching the courtyard blankly. No one has came for me, the time is almost up. Tomorrow I will have to tell Maven yes, tomorrow I will change what Jon saw in the future.

The door sliding open doesn't scare me. It's night, which is when the maid comes in. This one is always quieter, she never sneers or talks; however , she will hum sometimes, a soft, melancholy tune. It wraps itself around my heart softly and I let it fill me. After all the silence of the day, her song gives me sanity.

The woman will always come at night, when I'm supposed to be asleep. I startled her the first night, when I was having a fit. I threw a plate and it hit the spot above her head. She had gasped and I had froze, confused as to why she was here. After the shock had worn off I apologized and sat down, leaning on the bed to give her space. She cleaned quietly, not questioning why I was doing what I was.

After that, she came to realize that I sleep most of the day and lay awake at night. She doesn't bother me and I don't bother her. It's a silent truce, a weak bond.

She begins to sweep up the glass I had thrown today. I had been thinking about what would happen if they didn't come, if Maven found out and killed them. Then, I wondered if it was Cal, and if Cal had been captured and been forced to tell the whereabouts of the Guard.

My family is with them, meaning that Maven would end up getting them too. I broke down after that, screaming and destroying everything I could.

The maid cleans it all up swiftly, humming the entire time. I lay my head down on the window sill and close my eyes. Her melody and the rhythmic sound of cleaning lure me to sleep.

A short scream interupts the silence, quickly muffled with whispers and a hand. I shoot up, head spinning and eyes bleary.

A hooded figure stands begind the maid, holding her limp body. They rest her gently on the ground.

" _This is it,_ ' I think. ' _They've come to rescue me_."

"Hello?" I whisper, waving weakly to the person. They stare at my frail form, taking in my beat up body. The silence stretched between us, but before I could say anything the person runs to me.

The hood falls back, revealing a mess of uneven black hair and bronze, molten gold eyes. I can't stop the tears from flowing as I realize who it is, and they burn bitter when I realize I have to turn down leaving.

Cal embraces me softly, as if I'll fall apart. I groan and cry harder at his gentle treatment.

"I'm not a flower," I snap, wiping the tears away. He lets out a chuckle, resting his face in the crook of my neck. I run my fingers through his hair, the familiar action bringing back memories.

"I didn't know it was this bad," he sighs, gesturing to my bruises and brands. He hooks his finger under my jaw, lifting my face to his.

For a second I see Maven doing this and I panic, shivering and swatting his hand away.

Cal looks at me in confusion.

"It's nothing..just...I don't want to talk about it." I brush his concern away.

He touches the new brands, running his fingers over it lightly. His face is bright with anger, fire simmering beneath his skin.

I shiver again, but it's a different one. Suddenly, I pull him into a kiss we've never had before. It's desperate and firey, yet gentle. His rough, lips move against mine with the same fierceness, so unlike Maven's cold and hungry ones.

Finally, we pull away, sharing breaths and pants.

"Come on, the rest of us are waiting for you. Cameron is holding off the Arvens, but it won't stay that way for long. Let's get you out of here." Cal tries to pull me up but I gently remove his hand.

"I can't," I choke, holding back the tears swimming in my eyes. "It'll fail, Cal. You need to leave."

"What? What are you talking about Mare," He looks as confused as ever.

"Trust me, please Cal you need to leave. I'll come back I promise, just please, please leave. I don't want you to get hurt." I plead.

"How do you know this!" He hisses, but his eyes hold no anger.

"Jon!" I'm practically shouting now. "He told me! Please Cal, just-"

He yells right back, cutting me off.

"You really trust him? Look where it got you Mare! That bastard sold you out to Maven! He caused Shade's death!"

"I know!" I push him away. "I know! B-but he was right about everything, and..." I trail off.

"And?"

I groan, burying my face into my hands. I didn't even have a reason to trust him other than my gut feeling, and I doubt Cal will take that as an answer, being the soldier he is.

Without another word, he picks me up.

"What are you doing," I gasp, swatting weakly at his arms.

"Taking you whether you want to or not," He replies without looking.

He kicks open the door loudly.

" _Shh_ ," I hiss. "If you're going to take me atleast be quiet."

Cal laughs and I can feel it vibrate in his chest.

"Some newbloods are holding the other Silvers back, I promise it'll be fine." He says, striding out into the empty hallway.

His footsteps echo as I plead for him to put me down, to leave before he gets hurt.

"Cal," I claw at his arms. "Let me go! I swear to god I-"

Before I can finish an alarm sounds. It reverberates off the walls loudly, the noise shrill and piercing. Cal begins to sprint down the hallway, turning right sharply.

"Shit," he curses under his breath as two guards turn the corner.

Cal hurls a handfull of fire at them, knocking them back and rendering them unconscious.

Seeing he was focused on something else, I try to wiggle my way out of his grip.

Just as I'm about to fall he hoists me back up, glaring.

"Do you want to see the _real Gisa_ or not?" He growls.

I freeze, staring up at him with shocked, wide eyes.

"She's alive?" My voice wavers slightly and his expression softens.

"I'll explain it later, once we make it to camp. Just three more minutes or so until-"

"Until what?"

Maven's cold tone slices through the air and I clutch Cal's arms tightly. I know I have to do this, but oh how I wish I could stay in his arms.

We whirl around to meet Maven and the other silvers. They stand by him tall, poised to strike at any moment.

The Strongarm next to the king holds a bloody, but alive Cameron. Her arm is twisted weird, and she cradles it tenderly. She curses every so often when she's handled too rougly, but other than that she just glares at the people surronding her.

Maven motions for the guards and they twist her arms behind her back. She screams, tears running down her dirty face. I struggle in Cal's arms, trying to reach her.

"Maven," I cry out. "Stop!"

"You're in no position to tell me what to do." He laughs and the guards throw her at his feet.

Despite her condition, Cameron still manages to glower at him, even spitting at his shoes.

' _That's my girl_ ,' I think as he looks down at her in disgust.

Maven swings back his foot and kicks her in the jaw and I hear a crack. It's soon followed by her wail of pain and then stifled sobs.

"Mare taught you more than fighting, hmm?" He spits.

I feel tears burning at the back of my eyes but I push them back, instead giving Maven the most hatred filled gaze I could manage.

He scoffs at the expression, motioning for Cal to put me down.

Cal makes no move to do so, so Maven lets fire form in his hand.

"Does Cameron want a brand too?" He questions, meeting my eyes. He knows that it will get me to come, and he is right.

"No!" I shriek, managing to push Cal away. He shouts out a protest but I quickly move toward Cameron.

But instead of going to help her, I do the unthinkable and fall at Maven's feet beside her.

I hang my head low and force tears out, although it's not hard to cry. I hope he buys it, especially after recieving my hate filled looks.

"In exchange for their lives, I will give you the one thing I still have. I promise myself to you, from now to the end."

Cal shouts at me to stop. Maven looks down at me, his expression unreadable.

"Maven," I choke. "I agree to your deal."


End file.
